Harbor Blotter -- June 21

ORANGE COUNTY
Dana Point Harbor
June 7 • 1: 52 p.m. Orange County Sheriff’s Harbor Patrol officers responded to a report of a dinghy that had lost power and towed the vessel back to the dock. June 9 • 5:20 p.m. Harbor Patrol officers responded to a report of two speeding personal watercraft operating too close to shore.

Newport Harbor
June 7 • 9:55 a.m. Orange County Sheriff’s Harbor Patrol announced that the West Jetty was closed, due to high surf. June 10 • 4:14 p.m. Harbor Patrol officers responded to a report of a vessel in the anchorage that had been left unoccupied. Officers issued a warning. June 11• 1:09 p.m. Harbor Patrol officers responded to a report of a kayak that had overturned with two people in the water. A passing boat pulled the people from the water, and they were dropped off at Channel Reef.

Sunset/Huntington Harbour
June 8 • 2:14 p.m. Orange County Sheriff’s Harbor Patrol officers assisted several paddleboarders back to Kayak Beach.
VENTURA COUNTY
Ventura Harbor
May 18• 10:45 a.m. Ventura Harbor Patrol officers responded to a report of a 16-foot vessel disabled by Light #1. The boat was towed to the main basin and released to a commercial vessel assistance company. May 18 • 8 p.m. Harbor Patrol officers responded to a report of a 21-foot boat disabled near Light #2. The vessel was towed to the public launch ramp. May 19 • 12:25 p.m. Harbor Patrol officers responded to a report of a 22-foot sailing vessel having difficulties near Kiddie Beach. The vessel was towed to the main channel, where it was able to proceed under its own power. May 24 • 4:30 p.m. Harbor Patrol officers responded to a report of a small inflatable boat operating erratically in the west channel. The operator was contacted by Harbor Patrol officers and reportedly later taken into custody by a sheriff’s deputy on suspicion of boating under the influence of alcohol. May 27 • 3:25 p.m. Harbor Patrol officers responded to a report of a small inflatable rowboat in the west channel having difficulty due to high winds. The vessel was towed to its dock and released. May 27 • 3:35 p.m. Harbor Patrol officers responded to a report of a 24-foot vessel disabled near Light #3. The vessel was towed to the harbormaster’s dock and released to a commercial tow company. June 1 • 4:55 p.m. Harbor Patrol officers responded to a report of a disabled 17-foot boat at the harbor entrance. The vessel was towed to its dock and released. June 5 • 3:15 a.m. Harbor Patrol officers observed a 30-foot sailboat in its slip, sitting low in the water. The vessel was dewatered and towed to a local boatyard for an emergency haulout. June 5 • 1:40 p.m. Coast Guard personnel and Harbor Patrol officers were notified of a boat 1 mile outside the harbor with a person on board suffering from decompression sickness. Coast Guard officers responded and brought the patient to the Harbor Patrol dock, where EMS personnel were waiting. June 9 • 1:15 p.m. Harbor Patrol officers reportedly observed a boating accident at the public launch ramp. According to reports, damage was minor, and there were no injuries.

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY
Santa Barbara Harbor
June 1 • 3:07 p.m. Santa Barbara Harbor Patrol officers responded to a report at the harbor entrance of two overturned kayaks with two people in the water. Officers made contact with the two women in the water, brought both on board and later transported them to the launch ramp. June 5 • 1:40 a.m. Harbor Patrol officers responded to a report of a sailboat at the south side of the breakwater wall with two people on board, soft aground. Officers were able to pull the vessel off the beach and towed it into the harbor. June 9 • 12:45 p.m. Santa Barbara Harbor Patrol officers, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department personnel, Coast Guard personnel (including a crew aboard a USCG helicopter) and Carpentaria/Summerland Fire Department personnel responded to multiple reports at Loon Point of someone aboard a vessel shooting off flares. Reports stated the vessel was thought to be possibly on fire, with people in the water. Harbor Patrol offices arrived on the scene at 12:57 p.m. with Coast Guard personnel and made contact with the owner/operator of the subject powerboat and his family, who were conducting a burial at sea. According to reports, the operator told officers he was not thinking when he fired off multiple flares in remembrance of the deceased. This triggered a costly multi-agency maritime response. After determining no rescue or medical services were needed, the Coast Guard released all agencies from the scene. The Coast Guard is still investigating several violations, according to Harbor Patrol reports.June 9 • 6:45 a.m. Harbor Patrol officers observed a grounded sailboat on East Beach. According to reports, the owner said his vessel went aground while he was asleep on board. The owner made arrangements to have his vessel salvaged and, by noon, the vessel was towed back out to sea and later anchored east of Stearns Wharf.